Chris Demarest

Chris Demarest putting the final touches on his painting.

One of the things I like about photography is that you never know what sort of things you will find when you are out and about.  When traveling, I expect to come across landscapes and creatures and events, but I was quite unprepared for what was discovered on this day.

We had made a trek to Palm Springs in the spring of 2015.  It was March break and the time off was perfect for heading out to the gem of the Coachella Valley.  We met some friends there and enjoyed the stay at our timeshare.  Good weather, good friends, and lots of things to do; it was excellent.

One of the events we took in was a trip to the Palm Springs Air Museum.  They have a large number of vintage planes, most in working order, and I am always up for such an adventure.  My dad was an aviator in the late 50's and 60's, and we always enjoyed watching those classic WWII movies together.  Instead of being entertained by colourized film, there was the opportunity to see the real deal; it was something I could not pass up.

While there exploring the collection (go here:  https://palmspringsairmuseum.org/aircraft/) we came across something that reminded me of Norman Rockwell's prints.  The difference was that the fellow responsible for them was currently at another one.  It was amazing to see him work.  Pain staking attention to detail, minute movements intense with purpose, and doing a great job to boot, he was focused on his latest creation.

I found out his name was Chris Demarest, and he was doing a painting of a WWII scene.  He had other works of his on display.  Each one showed his commitment to excellence and his well practiced talent.  We chatted, although I don't remember the conversation.  Whenever I do this type of photo I always ask permission to shoot.  I also wrote Chris by email (yesterday) and got permission to post this picture in my blog.  I want to thank him for both opportunities.

I call this a character shot - it is a photo more of who someone is rather than what they look like.  I always enjoy character shots as they unveil things about a person you may not already know.  The shirt, the hat, his concentration and attention to detail, and the images present in the background all speak about who Chris is.  I would like to think that he would approve of the shot.  I can imagine him saying, "Yes, that is kind of who I am." 

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